Edward's Black Parade
by Allen the Musician
Summary: This is a song fic, inspired by the song Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. Ed reflects on his journey as he prepares for his attempt to bring his brother back after Al's selfless sacrifice. Takes place at the very end of FMA. R


Disclaimer- I do not own Fullmetal Alchemist or the song Welcome to the Black Parade. The former is the property of Hiromu Arakawa and the latter is the property of My Chemical Romance.

A/N - okay, so my best friend told me that I should do a song fic and she even picked the song, although it is one of my favorites. Welcome to the Black Parade by My Chemical Romance. And on a side note she told me that I seem to be doing things backwards because I went from chapter fics, to drabbles, to song fics. Oh well, what can I say? I'm a nonconformist.

Edward's Black Parade

_**When I was, a young boy, my father, took me into the city, to see a marching band**_

As Edward drew the transmutation circles on his body that would hopefully allow him to bring his lost brother's body and soul back from beyond the Gate he thought about his family. His father who had abandoned them, for reasons he was only now aware of, his mother who had wasted away out of love for her husband, and his brother who had followed him into the abyss. Their childhood had been one of laughter and good times however that had came to an end all too soon.

_**He said, "Son when, you grow up, would you be, the savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned?"**_

Thoughts of the journey that had begun as a result of the failed human transmutation and all of the people that he and his brother had met during their journey. The soldiers who had been their friends, Maes Hughes who had been like a second father, Nina and all of the people that they had been unable to save and the homunculi who were born out of alchemists' desire for the impossible.

_**He said, "Will you defeat them, your demons, and all the non believers, the plans that they have made."**_

Thoughts of the enemies that he and his brother had faced along the way. Sloth, the homunculus who looked so much like the beloved mother that they had lost and then attempted to resurrect. Envy, who was the transmuted child of their father Hohenheim. Scar, a victim of the war in Ishbal and a casualty of military corruption.

_**"Because one day, I'll leave you, a phantom, to lead you in the summer, to join the black parade."**_

Edward well remembered the day that his father had disappeared and although he now knew the reason behind this disappearance he was still a little angry about it due to the effect that it had had upon his mother. Trisha had wasted away because she missed her husband so much.

_**Sometimes I get the feeling she's watching over me and other times I feel like I should go**_

More thoughts of the mother that he had lost at such a young age and the heartache that he had felt when he nearly lost his brother in an attempt to bring her back. After the failed transmutation all he could do was look forward. Nothing could be accomplished by looking back.

_**And through it all, the rise and fall, the bodies in the streets**_

So much tragedy in such a short period of time. A little girl who had lost her life when it had barely begun, soldiers who were only following the orders of their leader, Scar, who was seeking revenge for his brother and his people, and Mustang and his group who truly did want to make the world a better place. Even if he was a pompous ass.

_**And when you're gone we want you all to know, we'll carry on.**_

Edward had made a promise both to his brother and to everyone who had helped him out along his journey, and especially to those who were no longer among the living, that he would carry on and eventually achieve his goal.

_**We'll carry on. And though you're dead and gone believe me, your memory will carry on. **_

As he surveyed his body and prepared for yet another attempt at the forbidden Edward thought back to his mother. He had lost her at such a young age and yet still felt her influence to this day. Some days it was like he could still hear her voice.

_**We'll carry on. And in my heart I can't contain it, the anthem won't explain it.**_

Edward's emotions whirled as he thought back on his brother, who had made so many sacrifices for him, his mother who had devoted her life to caring for her sons, and Hughes who had been such a devoted friend. Words alone were not enough to express what he felt for them.

_**And while that sends you reeling, from decimated dreams**_

Alchemy had started out as a way for he and Al to impress their mother however after her death it had became the cause of their downfall. They, well mainly he, had been arrogant and had thought to achieve the forbidden, human transmutation. And while no one else had ever pulled it off the thought that they would fail never even occurred to him.

_**Your misery and hate will kill us all**_

Alchemy had been the cause of the problems of the homunculi as well, artificial humans created when an alchemist failed a human transmutation although the Elric brothers hadn't known that in the beginning. In their attempts to become human there had been so many casualties, innocent people who shouldn't have died.

_**So paint it black and take it back, let's shout out loud and clear**_

If only there had been a way to fix what had been broken instead of causing more damage. That was the one lament that Edward still carried with him.

_**Do you fight it to the end?**_

At some points during their journey Edward had wondered whether it was even worth continuing however whenever he felt like giving up all he had to do was think of his brother and that gave him the strength that he needed to persevere.

_**We hear the call to carry on. We'll carry on.**_

There were so many voices calling out to him, telling him that he had to see this mission through to the end. He'd made a promise to himself and to others and that promise needed to be kept.

_**And though you're dead and gone believe me, your memory will carry on**_

Edward's thoughts once again centered on Hughes. The man had been the one who had made him feel most welcome in Central before he became a State Alchemist and had continued to play an active role in both his life and Al's even after that. His loss had been profound however Edward knew that he would live on in the daughter that he'd been so proud of.

_**We'll carry on. And though you're broken and defeated**_

There had been so many times during the years that either he or the people that he cared for had ended up injured as a result of his pursuit of the Philosopher's Stone. He had tried desperately to protect them and yet all to no avail.

_**Your weary widow marches**_

Edward hadn't seen Gracia Hughes since her husband's death however he knew that she was strong and would carry on for Elicia's sake. The daughter that Maes had cherished above all others was in good hands and would grow up to be a special person.

_**On and on we carry through the fears**_

Edward could still remember all of the fears that he had carried with him ever since the failed transmutation that gave birth to Sloth. The fear that he wouldn't be able to get Al's body back from the Gate, the fear that someone else would die as a result of his actions, the fear that everything they were working toward would prove to be unattainable in the end.

_**Disappointed faces of your peers**_

Mustang's face appeared in his mind's eye and it was as though he could hear a lecture being given, even though there wasn't anyone there to actually give him one.

_**Take a look at me cause I could not care at all**_

No matter how many people had told him that his quest was pointless and that he should just give up and go home Edward refused to believe that what he sought was completely out of reach. He didn't care what people said, he would restore his brother to the way he was supposed to be.

_**Do or die you'll never make me**_

There was only one way for Edward to live his life and he would push forward no matter what it took

_**Because the world will never take my heart**_

Despite all of the trials that he and Al had endured since he joined the ranks of the State Alchemists Edward could still focus on the good things that had happened as a result of his decision. It was true that many bad things had happened however there were happy memories as well.

_**Though you try, you'll never break me**_

Many had sought to destroy him or keep him from succeeding and the homunculi had sought to use him in order to achieve their own goal however Edward had managed to preserve his soul and keep himself from turning into something twisted.

_**We want it all, we wanna play this part**_

All he and his brother had wanted was to see their mother's smiling face once more however that was not meant to be. Death was a line that could only be crossed once, there was no coming back. After they learned that lesson all the brothers wanted was to fix what they had broken.

_**Won't explain or say I'm sorry**_

Edward had regrets, there wasn't a person alive who didn't, however he still felt that the path that he had walked had been necessary and he would do anything for his brother.

_**I'm unashamed, I'm gonna show my scars**_

Edward thought back to the auto mail surgery which had been necessary but none the less caused him to endure a hell that defied description. Yes, the boy had scars, both mentally and physically, however he'd spoke of them during his travels in the hopes of sparing someone else the pain.

_**Give a cheer for all the broken, listen here because it's only**_

So many tortured souls; Al, Nina, the Ishbalans who'd been used by the homunculi for their own depraved purpose.

_**I'm just a man, I'm not a hero**_

Edward had strived to make the world a better place during his travels and had fought on behalf of the underdog.

_**Just a boy, who wanna sing his song**_

"This is all for you Al," Edward thought to himself as he prepared to activate the transmutation circles. The biggest regret he had was that his brother hadn't had the chance to be the child that he should have been.

_**Just a man, not a hero. I don't care**_

Edward wasn't sure whether his attempts would work, maybe his life wasn't enough to get his brother back, however he was determined to at least make the effort. If he perished in the attempt then that would be his atonement for his sins.

_**We'll carry on. We'll carry on**_

This was the last thing that he would do for his brother and Edward could only hope that it would be enough.

"This is for you Al."

_**And though you're dead and gone believe me, your memory will carry on**_

Once more the faces of the fallen flashed before his eyes; his mother, Nina, Hughes and now his beloved younger brother. Those lost would not be forgotten and his brother would soon be restored, of that Edward vowed

_**We'll carry on. And though you're broken and defeated, your weary widow marches on**_

Those who had lost loved ones would find the courage to carry on and live their lives so that those they lost would be proud.

_**Do or die, you'll never make me**_

Edward knew that if anyone came upon him at this moment they would call him an idiot and attempt to stop him however he knew without a doubt that this was the right decision.

_**Because the world will never take my heart**_

He would carry the image of all those he cared for with him into the unknown; Winry, Granny Pinako and all of the soldiers from Eastern Command. He knew that they were his friends, even though they did nothing but give him a hard time. Even Mustang, although Edward still couldn't think of the Colonel with anything other than anger.

_**Though you try, you'll never break me**_

The homunculi hadn't won the battle, hadn't forced Edward to forge the Philosopher's Stone and hadn't been able to use Al's stone for their benefit. No, his brother had made the ultimate sacrifice in order to transmute his dead body and restore him to life.

_**We want it all, we wanna play this part**_

Edward vaguely wished that he could see his brother one last time although he knew that he didn't deserve to. Not after all of the suffering that he had caused Al. No he would make up for his sins by restoring Al back to his original body.

_**We'll carry on.**_

As Edward clasped his hands together and placed them on the transmutation circle that was over his heart he thought of his brother one last time.

A/N- and there it is, my first attempt at a song fic.


End file.
